Miranda and the Manticore
by hw- the blue dog
Summary: A girl is accepted into Hogwarts in fourth year, but mysterious events riddle the calendar as she struggles with life, love and piles of homework! Rated T for safety. First fanfiction -please read & review! Fruits Basket/Harry Potter crossover.
1. Letters and First Impressions

_**Miranda and the Manticore**_

_Harry Potter is in his fourth year, and life at Hogwarts continues, but a growing shadow passes across the school..._

_**Chapter 1; Letters and First Impressions**_

The train's whistle pierced the air as it started to move off from the platform, filling the air with steam. I settled back into my seat and prepared

myself for the long train ride. I'd done it! I was in _England,_ going to Hogwarts!

********************

I better start from the beginning. My name is Ying Meifang, but everyone calls me Miranda. I'm from Australia, where my Japanese/Chinese

parents migrated to. I have green eyes and black hair, which gets annoying as it's wavy and long. Oh yeah- and I'm a wizard.

I found out that I was a wizard, well, a witch, six months ago, when I was still thirteen, someone was really annoying me and my teacher's

nearest vase, (she _really_ liked flowers in nice vases) smashed into at least a thousand pieces. I know because I was forced to pick it up off the

floor and I got exactly ten glass splinters. Then I borrowed an adventure book from the library at my old school and started turning the pages

without touching it in front of my parents' astonished eyes. Exorcised from my schoolmates, I was transferred and transferred, never spending

more than a month with any particular school. Then I got a letter a month ago, on the 8th of August, my birthday, which explained I had won

some sort of scholarship to "Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry". My parents were thrilled, and, actually less than a month later, on the

first of September, here I am! In fourth year... I wonder how I will catch up. All the other students would have been here for three years.

Everyone, well, except for some new students that are rumoured to be coming in a few weeks. I wonder why? Why are they so late? They're

even later than me, and that's saying something. Hm...

********************

A jolt pulled me from my reverie as I bounced on the incredibly plush seat and hit my head on the luggage rack, resulting in my luggage tumbling

down and exploding from their cases to disperse themselves around the compartment. Just after I had cleaned up, as a belated book hit me a

glancing blow on the side of the head and plummeted to land in my lap, the door on the compartment was flung open by a girl with a pale face,

bright green eyes and short, flaming red hair. Her hand flew to her mouth.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I thought this part was empty!" She started to pull the door closed again, only to stop as I flicked my hand in dismissal and shook

my head quickly.

"Nah, it's okay. There's plenty of room here." The girl came to sit opposite me, smiling brilliantly, full of gratitude, and she lit up the room. _Whoa,_ I

thought_. She's a happy person_.  
"Thanks, everywhere else is full. Why do I feel like I just quoted something from some famous novel?" I shrugged.

"No idea. So, er, what's your name?" I asked, trying to be friendly after a long awkward silence.

"Jennifer, but most people call me Jen." She smiled at me. "What's yours?"

"I am Ying Meifang, but most people call me Miranda." I noticed her tiny, almost imperceptible shiver, and the goose bumps on her bare arms.

"Hey, are you cold?" I asked. She grimaced. The train was freezing.

"Yeah, I am a bit." I chuckled. The comedy was too good to be ignored.

"It's hard to believe, with hair like yours." She gave me a quizzical glance and frowned before her face flared with understanding and she started

to laugh, a loud happy sound that filled the air. It was contagious, and soon I was laughing too.

"I know I shouldn't be laughing," she said between giggles, "I've heard it all before, and sometimes it hurts, but when you say it, your

expression, it's priceless!" She collapsed into a fresh fit of giggles, and I laughed too. I had made a friend.

********************

"Hey, Miranda? HEY! MIR-AN-DA! Hey! Wake UP!" I was startled awake by Jennifer yelling in my ear.

"Mumph? Huh? Whas'appening? Oh. Hi Jennifer." [Still in sleep mode] My book fell off my lap as I sat up. I must have fallen asleep.

"There was just an announcement asking us to change into our robes. You know, our school robes?" She said, mystified by my lack of

comprehension. After a quick think-back I nodded.

"Oh, right. Robes."

"What are you, fresh off the plane?" she asked, still confused. Her eyes widened as I nodded.

"Yes, in fact."

"What? Where from?"

"Australia." She looked a little shocked.

"What? Australia? Don't they have magic schools in Australia? Why have you just started now?" I shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess they do." She frowned, still thinking, but then she shrugged.

"Whatever." A thought occurred to her. "Hey, I heard they ride kangaroos in Australia. Is it true?" I grinned. Ignorant Poms! But this one seemed

okay.

"Yeah, sure, it's like; 'Okay Mum, I'm going to school! I just need to catch the kangaroo!' " I chuckled as she smiled ruefully. "I mean, sure I guess,

but I used to catch the train to school."

"Oh. Right." She looked sheepish, but then she gasped. "But we need to get changed! We're going to be arriving soon!"

"Oh, right."

Quickly we changed into our robes and as Jennifer chattered on, with me only half-listening, we soon arrived at Hogwarts Station. I was literally

shaking in excitement and fear as a thunderous voice boomed, "First years o'er here! First years this way!" I squeaked and ran for cover as a

huge man covered in thick matted hair and a-a skin of some sort- suit.

"Hey, Hagrid! How ya going'?" Jen yelled at the gigantic man.

"Great, Jenny! Listen, I gotta take the first years across, so I'll see ya later, alright?"

"Sure, Hagrid. Hey, have you met my friend Miranda?" The man called Hagrid walked over and squinted at me with a kind smile. I stopped

cowering behind Jennifer, looked up at him and smiled nervously, not sure if I would be welcomed or attacked. Jennifer laughed at my fear.

"It's alright Miranda; he's great- the Care of Magical Creatures teacher." I began to feel a little better.

"Well, if he is a teacher..." I muttered to myself. I realised he was talking to me and Jen.

"No, I don't think I 'ave. Is she 'the New One'?" He asked, looking around shiftily as if someone was watching them. "Ya know, the... _transfer?_" Jen

nodded furtively, and then, as I indignantly called out,

"_Yes,_" from back behind Jen, she and Hagrid were suddenly laughing like I had just missed the joke of the century.

"Ah, tha' was good," wheezed Hagrid, wiping his eyes with a gaudy floral handkerchief, "but I really 'ave ta go. Jennifer, Miranda," he nodded to

them then strode off, nearly squashing some unwary second years while calling, "Sorry, sorry! Didn't see you there!"

Jennifer laughed heartily before turning back to me, joining the swarm of students heading for countless black carriages in front of the stunning

background of Hogwarts Castle.

"Isn't he a great guy? Bundle of hairy fun."

"Yeah," I muttered, "if you like huge scary people with terrifyingly matted hair." Jennifer surprised me by laughing again. "Gee," I muttered again,

"I thought you were laughed out. _Super _happy person." She kept laughing.

"Never," she cried, holding her ribs as she struggled for breath to laugh harder, "Never, never, never. I am never laughed out. You are just too

funny to pass up." I grimaced and resigned myself to the interesting carriage trip, pulled by skeletal black horses I had never seen before. I decided to keep quiet though, no one else appeared to be able to see them.

After half an hour in the carriages we came to the gates of Hogwarts. I glanced back at the lake behind us and saw a hundred tiny lights of what

Jennifer had explained to be the first years crossing the Black Lake, below the stormy skies. Then I turned and took my first step into Hogwarts.

__________________________________________________________________

**Author's Note;**

****

Hi! This is The Blue Dog!  
I know this is so cliché, but please review. This is my first fanfiction, so even if you hate it just tell me you've read it and I'll be happy. Also tips, pick-ups on errors, suggestions and ratings are invited.  
Thanks.


	2. Sortings and Tournaments

_**Chapter 2; Sortings and Tournaments**_

**Author's Note;  
Sorry it's a bit late, hope that doesn't matter too much... oh well.**

**Also, I forgot the disclaimer, but I'm not going to repeat it in every chapter, so just bear in mind that I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER or**

**FRUITS BASKET!**

**It's kinda strange that people put in disclaimers though, because that's what fanfiction is about!**

**That done, a big shout-out to MyMusesSpeakToMe, (cool name I know) my very, very first reviewer! Please keep sending them in**

**everyone!**

**Now to the story!**

"Alright, alright! Settle down!" A severe-looking woman wearing all black robes and a pointed witch's hat (literally) brought all in the Great Hall to

attention.

"Professor McGonagall," Jennifer whispered to me, and I nodded, remembering.

"The head of Gryffindor." She had explained the houses to me on the train. McGonagall was leading a long stream of first-years into the Hall for

what Jen had also explained as 'The Sorting'. As the first-years came to a halt in front of a tiny wooden stool McGonagall disappeared for a

moment, reappearing with a shabby-looking black pointed hat and placing it on the stool. She then procured a long scroll of parchment and

proceeded to call out names in alphabetical order, surnames first.

When the first name was called (it happened to be Ackerley, Stewart), the owner of the name walked, usually trembling, up to the stool, where

McGonagall placed the Hat on their head and, after some thinking the hat called out a House (Hufflepuff in this case) and the relieved student

would walk to their cheering table.

It blurred on and on, one name after the other, until the line had disappeared. I shank in my seat. Before we had assembled in the Hall

McGonagall had taken me aside and explained what would happen after the first-years had been Sorted. I was trembling in a corner of the Hall

near the teacher's table up the front. Jennifer had refused to leave me and had sat with me as I waited in dread for the professor to call my

name. And she did.

"And last; Ying Meifang- Miranda!" I tried to still my shaking knees and quickly walked up to the stool. I could feel all the students' eyes on me in

the deafening silence that followed, and I felt my cheeks redden in embarrassment. As I sat nervously on the stool the hat was put on my head

and I suddenly realised what the hat did. Then it spoke;

"Aha!" it cried, startling me, "And what do we have here? A smart one no doubt, and a bold one too... Now... where to put you? Ravenclaw... or

Gryffindor..." _Please, please Gryffindor,_ I begged silently. To my surprise, the Hat replied, _No, my dear, you have a destiny, but all in good time... _

Everyone started shifting in their seats, from interest and/or boredom. Why was it taking so long? Why was this girl, clearly too old to be a first

year, being Sorted? But then (out loud) the Hat spoke again.

"Hmm... Well, I'm sure... RAVENCLAW!"

The second table to the left erupted with cheers as my stomach sunk below my knees. Sure, Ravenclaw was good, but Jennifer was in Gryffindor,

and it was the best house, everyone knew really... I slowly walked to my new table, amidst the roars of the Ravenclaws, clearly happy to have

even one more person in their House. I quietly sat down beside a huge sixth-year and two small first-years, who were goggling at me. I could

hear their whispers; _surely she's not in __our__ class, is she?_My heart sank below my knee-high stomach to around my ankles. Why wasn't I in

Gryffindor? I didn't belong here; I belonged with my only friend here.

Marvellous food appeared from nowhere, but I could hardly eat a bite. Why? The word kept whizzing around my head, making me feel sick and

dizzy. Then, as I, embarrassingly, had spaghetti hanging from my mouth, a man in the midst of the head table, who the sixth-year next to me

explained was the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, stood up at the podium and started to speak. I quickly slurped up my spaghetti and listened.

"So! Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices. Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has

asked me to remind you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle this year has been extended-" My head slumped against the table,

nearly knocking over my plate full of spaghetti. The burly sixth-year next to me angrily whispered,

"Hey! Listen!" so I swiftly tuned in again as I discreetly picked up the spaghetti that had fallen from my plate.

"Inter-house Quidditch cup will not take place this year, as-" Dumbledore was interrupted by an angry muttering rising from the tables- "What?"

He cleared his throat meaningfully, and as the rumblings quietened he continued,

"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year,taking up much of the teachers' time and

energy- but I am sure you will enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-" He was interrupted yet again

by a thunderous (literally) roar from the amazing ceiling in the Hall. Some people screamed as the ceilingcrackled and lit up with out-of-control

lightning, but the sky settled back to a starry blackness as a rather odd man came into sharp relief in the bright light that the lightning cast. He

wore a long black coat of some sort (I was getting used to odd styles of dress now), black pants and boots but the most eye-catching (literally

_eye_) thing about him was his mismatched eyes; one was yet again black and as normal as you would expect, whereas the other eye had an

electric blue pupil, which was now staring into the back of his head. He was holding a wooden staff and when he strode up to the end table he

clunked it on the ground.

The headmaster acknowledged his presence with a gracious nod; I personally thought he looked a tiny bit peeved that his speech was

interrupted again. He turned back to the students with a slight smile.

"May I introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher; Professor Moody." Nearly non-existent applause greeted the new professor as

he took the empty end seat at the head table and speared a sausage. Dumbledore continued,

"As I was saying, we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which has not been held for over

a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be held at Hogwarts this year." Someone over at the

Gryffindor table yelled in disbelief,

" You're JOKING!" The tension in the Hall suddenly dispersed as laughter broke from his ranks and ran free among the tables. Dumbledore smiled.

"I am _not_ joking, Mr Weasley, though, now you mention it, I did hear an excellent one about a troll, a hag and a leprechaun who all go into a bar-"

McGonagall cleared her throat loudly, and Dumbledore stopped abruptly. "Well, er, perhaps this is not the time... no... Where was I? Ah yes, the

Triwizard Tournament... well, some of you will not know what this Tournament is about, so I hope those people who do know will forgive me for

giving a short explanation, and allow their mind to wander freely." I chuckled at this, before he went on,

"The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago, as a friendly competition between the three largest European

schools of wizardry- Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang." _Do they have these competitions at home?_ I wondered.

"A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to

host the Tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches

and wizards of different nationalities- until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the Tournament was discontinued." Shocked, I looked

across as the first-years, one of whom had spaghetti hanging from his open mouth, the other having just dropped a gigantic chicken drumstick

from his hand without noticing. I stifled a giggle and listened once again to the headmaster's speech;

"-none of which have been very successful. However our own Departments of International Magical Co-operation and Magical Games have

decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that, this time, no champion will find himself or

herself in mortal danger.

"The Heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three

champions will take place at Hallowe'en. An impartial judge will decide which student are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory

of their school, and a thousand Galleons prize money."

I truly tuned out after that. It had been a long day and a long trip, and I was well and truly ready for bed. All I heard was 'age restrictions' 'of

age; that is, 17', 'ensure no underage wizard hoodwinks our impartial judge,' and 'extend every courtesy' 'wholehearted support to the Hogwarts

champion' and 'Bedtime! Chop Chop!', which I was extremely grateful for.

We were dismissed, and I walked past other students in a daze until Jennifer grabbed my arm and dragged me to a corner where I couldn't be

stared at.

"Hey, Miranda! Bad luck about the Housing, but oh well; I bet we're in the same classes!" I nodded absent-mindedly, but I wasn't really listening.

"Hello, earth to Miranda! Can you still hear me, or are you asleep on your feet?" she waved in front of my glazed over eyes and I quickly came

back to reality.

"Oh, yeah, Jen, I'm fine, really. Just a little tired." She nodded understandingly, then clapped me on the shoulder.

"Yeah, well, good on ya, Miranda, just keep holding on. Hey, did you hear about the Tournament?" she asked, and I struggled to concentrate,

replying, rather sadly, with,

"Er, sort of. What about it?" She sighed.

"I'll tell you tomorrow. Buck up, girl! You'll make it through, I'm _sure_." With that she raced off to her House common room, leaving me feeling more alone than ever.

**Author's Note;  
Hi again! I know it's kind of strange that Miranda isn't in Gryffindor, but it'll all work out. Trust me!**

**Oh, and in the last chapter, forgive the minor racist comment, 'Ignorant Poms!' I personally would**

**really like to go to London, or anywhere in England, but I just thought it was appropriate as one of**

**my school-friends came back from America and told me someone asked her if we ride kangaroos**

**in Australia, so I (obviously) cracked up laughing. Forgive and forget, people! Forgive and forget!**

**Except I should do more of the forgiving and not the forgetting, because I think I've got that**

**mastered! Sorry!**

**Also, forgive me (again) for the longwinded speech from Dumbledore; boring, but it was**

**necessary!**

**The Blue Dog**


	3. Breakfast and Confrontations

_**Chapter 3; Breakfast and Confrontations**_

The next morning I woke up where I had collapsed on my bed, just making it into pyjamas before falling asleep after that long first day. And now I

had classes, with all the rest of the year who had already been through three years of magical schooling. Everyone said, 'Oh, that's alright. She's  
just a late bloomer,' but what if I wasn't? How would I cope? I hadn't done a single proper piece of magic _once_!

With these thoughts in my head, I dressed quickly and headed down to the common room which the Prefects had shown everyone last night. I

said a quiet 'Good morning' to my fellow 'dorm mates' and then went on to breakfast in the Great Hall.

I sat down at the bottom of the Ravenclaw table and helped myself to toast and orange juice, turning down the offered _pumpkin_ juice from the

two first years from last night, who were still staring at me, making me choke on my bite of toast and sending the entire section of the table into

laughter. I sunk in my seat, hunched over my fast-disappearing food, until I heard a loud screeching and flapping outside the Great Hall.

Suddenly, to my amazement, what looked like a hundred owls, snowy, barn and others, flew out of nowhere and started circling the tables. I

shrieked along with the other first-years recieving mail as a beautiful tawny frogmouth floated down to me and threw a rolled-up newspaper at

me, landing in a huge steaming bowl of porridge. I gingerly wiped some porridge off the end of it and unrolled it revealing what was proclaimed as

_The Daily Prophet_, edition six thousand and seventy two. I sat, bemused, and read the headlines for the front page before rolling it up again and

tucking it into my new school robes. I wasn't surprised. My mum was an avid newspaper reader and had subscriptions to twelve different Muggle

newspapers, so that she had a thirteenth wasn't exactly startling.

As I left the table for the common room, a silky yet sinister voice drawled,

"Why, Hello there, Miss Meifang."

I stopped in my tracks. Who the h-e-double toothpicks? I spun around, nearly knocking over a stone sculpture, and stuttered, caught by suprise,

"H-who are you?" The tall boy with peroxide hair who had spoken was leaning casually against a pillar. He smiled.

"I am Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. And you are Miss Ying Meifang, also known as Miranda. I _am_ pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Knock it off, Malfoy." A new voice said from behind him, causing him to whirl around and jump like a little kid caught doing something naughty. I

smiled slightly. It reminded me of my little 3-year-old brother, still in Australia.

But then I saw the new speaker, and my jaw dropped. He had jet black hair and green eyes, and as my eyes slid up to his forehead, I saw he

had a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt. My jaw felt like it had just dropped off. This had to be the person Jennifer was talking about! This was

_Harry Potter!_

He glanced my way and I saw the corner of his mouth quirk up just a little. I realised how idiotic I looked and quickly shut my mouth. His mouth

quirked upwards even more as has turned back to Malfoy and took a more serious expression. "Can't you see that she hates you already?" I

realised this was true. Malfoy really did creep me out.

"Yeah, leave her alone, Malfoy," I saw that Harry Potter was flanked by three others, Jennifer, who had spoken, a redheaded boy, trying to fit two

pieces of jam toast into his mouth at once, and a curly-brown haired girl with a serious expression on her face, arms crossed. Jen beckoned me

over and I quickly stood beside her as she quietly introduced me to the redhead, Ron Weasley, and the girl, Hermione Granger, as the other two

boys still stood there, at an impasse, and we looked on, wondering how long this confrontation would take. Not long, as it turned out, as Malfoy

suddenly realised that he was outnumbered, and swore to the ground as he looked at me, bowed, looked back at Harry and said,

"Very well. I'll see you around then, _Potter_," and walked off.

I breathed a secret sigh of relief, but the Gryffindors turned to me as if to say something, and I stiffened in apprehension, but they were

interrupted by Jen's peals of laugher as she held her sides and gasped for breath.

"Ha ha ha, ha ha ha! See, I told you her expressions are priceless!" She doubled over in laughter again as Harry stepped forward and I nervously

shook his hand, then Hermione's, then Ron's after he had wiped his on his shirt, leaving a huge greasy mark from all the butter he had splattered

on his toast.

"Uh, (*munch, chew, swallow*) -nice to meet you," he said through his not-yet-swallowed pieces of toast. I grimaced slightly in distaste and sent

Jen into fresh peals of laughter as Hermione rolled her eyes at me, and we shared a knowing look- we'd both seen it before.

"Is he always like this?" I asked, nodding towards Ron, who had finally swallowed his toast and was now picking at his teeth, trying to get at an

enormous chunk of bread. Hermione nodded.

"Every morning," she replied, as Ron glared at us. Jennifer was now literally rolling on the floor, wheezing and giggling hopelessly. Hermione

looked down and sighed as she helped Jen up, who was now a gibbering wreck. "Come on Ginge, let's go calm you down. Um, we'll see you in

class," she hastily added, walking away, dragging Jen behind her and muttering something about soothing drinks, with Harry and Ron following.

"Hey! Hermione! Why'd you call her Ginge?" I yelled after them. Hermione turned her head away from the now slightly calmer Jennifer and yelled

back,

"It's because her last name is Ginger! Didn't you know?"

"Oh. Really?" I asked. "Cool!"

"Yep. See you in class!" she repeated, walking quickly to catch up with Ron and Harry. _Wait,_ I thought. _Class? Oh! Class! Aaah!  
_

I looked at my watch and freaked; I was going to be late for class! I hurried through the common room, saying the password (blacke aves talons)

to the Black Lady, the painting which the entrance to the common room was behind, and rushing to my dormitory to grab my books for Potions

and Transfiguration.

**_______________________________________________________________________**

**Author's Note:  
Hey people! Perhaps not my people, but you know...**

Did anyone pick up the cryptic meaning of the Ravenclaw password? You know, 'Blacke' = black, 'aves'= bird, 'talon'=another word for

claw. Get it now? Blackbird claw? It's Ravenclaw!

**Okay... maybe it wasn't that great as it seemed at first, but it was okay! (I think...)**

**Sorry for the short (in comparison) chapter, I just though Miranda had to meet Malfoy and the Harry trio and agree with them that Malfoy's**

a slimy git! Sorry Malfoy fans...

**The Blue Dog**


	4. Part 1 Concoctions and Transformations

_**Chapter 4 - Concoctions and Transformations; Part 1**_

**Author's Note;**

**Hey everyone, well everyone who's reading... Thanks!**

**I decided to split this chapter in two, because it's only two periods of class but writing it takes so loooonng... **

**Sorry it's short!**

**The Blue Dog**

I hurried to Potions class in the dungeons with the other fourth-year Ravenclaws and, thankfully, the Gryffindors. I was the last one in and there

was only one seat left; next to Harry Potter. Jennifer was up the front and as the professor, Snape as Harry explained, walked to the front, he

flicked the shutters closed and blew all her papers twirling around the classroom. Professor Snape smirked.

"I see not all of you will improve from last year. May I remind you that- Ah, I see we have a new student." He turned his piercing gaze of

superiority on me, and I cringed and shrank in my seat. His upper lip curled in a sinister smile as he turned back to the rest of the class (Jennifer

had taken advantage of the shift in Snape's attention to collect all her papers). "Today's lesson will be revision of last year's lessons; the Draught

of Peace. The instructions are on the board and, obviously-" he said this with much emphasis of **Ob**viously'- "the ingredients are in the cupboard. I

expect that all your potions will have a silver shimmer on the top. Off to work with you!"

Everyone busily set to work, scrambling for the cupboard and leaving me sitting silently at my table until Snape icily enquired, "Are you going to

start on this concoction or are you going to attend all of my detentions for three months?" which, of course, sent my scurrying for the cupboard

like there was no tomorrow.

"Eye of newt, dog's tongue," I muttered to myself, nose crinkled in distaste, "Bildri beans and... silver moth wing!" I collected these ingredients,

plus others, and put them on my table. Over the next hour and a half everyone in the class painstakingly followed every instruction on the board,

except for some poor souls whose cauldrons blew up in their faces. I sneaked a peek at Harry's next to me; it was belching green smoke and

bubbling black. I leaned over and whispered,

"Add two more teaspoons of moth wing and a Bildri bean." He looked over at me, surprised, but did what I advised and suddenly the black smoke

was gone and it was no longer green. He shot me a grateful smile and I flushed, embarrassed. _Well, now I've done my good deed for the day..._ I

got back to work.

All too soon Professor Snape stood up from his desk, wiped the writing off the board with a flick of his wand and turned to face us with a neat

about-face that snapped his shoes together in an action that made everyone jump. Some poor girl spilt her mixture all over her hands, resulting

instant boils and a red rash.

"To Madam Pomfrey, Figgins," Snape snapped at the girl and she quickly ran upstairs to where I assumed was the hospital wing.

He instructed us to fill a small glass vial with our potions, label them and bring them up to his desk for marking. One by one we filed up to his

table, and he greeted us with a smirk, leer or nod, depending on how he judged our potion-making skills. When it was finally my turn to give him

my potion, I started panicky in my head. What if it wasn't meant to be shimmering silver like that? What if it was meant to be blue or orange or,

or, yellow even? I was a nervous wreck.

But when I was at his desk, I could've sworn I could see his eyes widen. I was the last one in line and the other students had gathered around

the desk, waiting to be released from class. Everyone was shocked. I could hear them exclaiming in startled whispers; _'How come she did so well?'_

_ 'She's not even in Slytherin!' 'Smarty pants!'_

I wanted to scream at them. "_It wasn't my fault! How could I know I was good at potions? I've barely been here two days!_" But polite manners

indicate that one does not scream in frustration out loud in public, so I kept these thoughts to myself. Meanwhile Snape was still heavily

scrutinising my vial of apparently perfect potion, a look of amazement on his face as he held the vial up to the light and everyone stared at me like

I was some kind of freak.

At last someone came up and asked if they could go to their next class, and Snape quickly got a hold of himself, cleared his throat and replied,

"Ah, yes, of course." Then, pulling himself out of his chair, he mustered all that was left of his snootiness and announced coldly, "You are

excused." He scribbled something down on his marking sheet and I surreptitiously peeked at what he'd written; it said 'A+.'

I walked up the stairs in a state of shock. No one, not even a Slytherin, had ever gotten and A+ from Snape. It was unheard of. I went to

Transfiguration in silence until Jennifer caught up with me.

"Hey, what did you do in there?"

"What?" I asked, confused.

What made that old dirt-bag so amazed that he gave you an 'A+'?" she reiterated.

"Oh," I muttered, embarrassed, "I just followed instructions, that's all." She laughed.

"Sure you did, Miranda," she winked at me, "Whatever. Just keep it going, OK? It'll be good to shake that git around a little, and it'll please

McGonagall no end."

"B-but, I'm not in her house," I stuttered, my mouth hanging slightly open in disbelief. She shrugged.

"As long as you've confounded Snape, she'll be happy."

I shook my head, signalling the end of conversation, and soon we arrived at Transfiguration.


	5. 4 Part 2 Concoctions and Transformations

_**Chapter 4 - Part 2; Concoctions and Transfiguration**_

**Author's Note;  
Hey everyone! Well, I think it was more than MMSTM and Lysi...  
I also forgot (*sigh*) to say that this story is going to veer off a bit from Harry Potter 4, because obviously HP doesn't have Furuba in it and it's just too long to rewrite! But it will have the Tournament in it. Anyway, classes!!  
The Blue Dog**

I walked into Transfiguration, nervously grabbing a seat at the back of the class just as McGonagall strode in, nearly running me over as she walked to the front of the class. In one smooth action she pulled out her wand and struck the blackboard next to her with a loud _'crack!'_ which made everyone jump a foot in the air. She spoke.  
"This year in Transfiguration I trust all of you will improve tremendously, for as you know we have Hogwart's reputation to uphold when we have the honour of playing host to the Triwizard Tournament. " My head jerked up from where it rested on my hand as I suddenly tuned in to watch she was saying; I was still preoccupied over what had happened in Potions and everyone was still staring at me and apparently wondering what sort of person Snape would have given an A+ to. According to one whispered conversation the girl in front of me was adamant that I had used a Confundus charm (whatever that was) on him, until I set her straight, leaning forward and whispering,

"I don't even know what a Confundus Charm is!", causing them to jump a figurative foot in the air and getting them a hawk-like death stare from Professor McGonagall.

The professor continued,  
"**As** I was saying, before Miss Patil and Miss Seeton interrupted me, today we will have the entire lesson to work on large mammal transfigurations, in this case; birds into cats." She continued to explain the method in which we were to change parrots in to tabbies, then she paired us up (I was with Jennifer, to my happiness) and gave each of us a furiously squawking parrot.

Jennifer faced me.  
"Okay, do you remember the spell?" I nodded nervously. "Good. Shall I go first?" I nodded again, glad to be able to procrastinate. She cleared her throat and intoned, "_Transfigurus_!"

With a tiny _poof_, the feathers on the bird turned into numerous orange hairs, the bones creaked and the talons turned into claws of the feline kind. There stood a perfect tabby cat, already giving itself a wash.  
Professor McGonagall clapped exactly five times, saying,  
"Well done, Ginger, and Granger too, though I expected no less!" I looked over at Hermione, who was blushing with modest pride, and back at Ginger, who was, surprisingly, doing the same. Apparently they were both high achievers of the academic kind, but didn't want to make a fuss.

Then McGonagall walked away, and the spotlight was turned on me. It was my turn.  
I swallowed nervously, but at Jennifer's encouraging smile I pulled out my wand and said, in a tiny voice,  
"_Trans- Transfigurus!"_ The parrot fell silent, and just as I was wondering why it wasn't growing fur, it looked at me as if to say, '_That was pathetic'_ and screeched loud enough that the teacher next door poked his head in to complain, but was foiled by a large suit of armour which clanged deafeningly against the stone floor. His reddening face quickly disappeared from the doorways amidst the entire class's laughter. I turned back to the screeching parrot apprehensively, but I didn't succeed in doing anything and it's screeches were getting louder, until finally McGonagall put a Silencing Charm on it to save the rest of the class's ears. I kept trying though, but I could see that I was boring Ginger, so I tried again with a little more _oomph_; "_TRANSFIGURUS_!!"

But the parrot chose that very moment to dive for a tiny piece of bread it thought it saw on the bottom of the cage, and my spell went straight through the cage and onto Jennifer.

She was thrown off her chair and onto the floor, and as Professor McGonagall rushed towards her concernedly and everyone crowded around her, she sat up, and over the crowd I could see the tips of two cute cat's ears firmly in Jen's hair.

McGonagall helped her up, then fixed her eyes on me. _Oh no,_ I thought. _ This is it. Goodbye England, I'm being kicked out of Hogwarts to go back to my boring life back in Oz._  
"Miranda," she began, and I felt tears begin to fill my eyes, "You're her friend, take her to the hospital wing." I blinked, stunned. I wasn't going to be expelled?  
"B-but- but-what?" She sighed, still holding Jen's shoulder as Jen looked at me and grinned, touching the top of her head among exclaiming admirers.  
"Miranda, if you think I'm going to expel you for such a minor-" she glanced at Ginger's new ears with a tiny smile, "and, I must say, cute, accident then you are totally misinformed. Now please escort Miss Ginger to the hospital wing." I sighed with relief and as I led the way (after Jen gave me directions) Jennifer complained about having to take off the ears.  
"Totally unjust, I tell you! Why can't we students wear cat ears to school when McGonagall changes into a cat?" I asked her to explain, intrigued, and she did so all the way there.

Madam Pomfrey, leader of the wing, bustled us in, tutting at the ears nestled in Jen's hair and muttering something about Transfiguration doubling her casualty rate, directing Jennifer to a free bed next to a little first-year boy with a broken wrist and broken broomstick, a bemused expression on his face(I was following).

We winced in sympathy as Madam Pomfrey bustled back in and took out her wand, preparing to dispel the ears, but Jennifer cried,  
"WAIT!" and Madam Pomfrey stopped, surprised, as Jennifer pleaded, "Please can I keep the ears? Please?" Madam Pomfrey sighed and rolled her eyes but went away again and came back with a black plastic headband. Jen smiled and Madam Pomfrey performed her spell, moving the ears from Jennifer's head onto the headband, still twitching. Madam Pomfrey gave Jen the headband and instructed her to 'stay for a while' as she immediately put the ears back on again. Apparently I was dismissed so I said goodbye to Ginger and wandered back to Transfiguration, but as I was just about to open the door to class, a timid voice in faltering English asked,  
"Excuse me, but where is Transfig-uration class with McGonagall-_sensei_?"

I turned around, confused about the _-sensei_ part of what she said and how hard it was for her to say it, and came face to face with three, obviously Japanese, people; a girl with brown hair and big eyes, a tall boy with a pale face and hair, and another tall boy with carroty hair.  
"Hello, my name is Honda Tohru, and these are, um, my friends Sohma Yuki-san and Sohma Kyo-, er, kun."

**Author's Note;**

**Hey!  
Ta-daah! Arrival of the Furuba trio!!  
I just really liked the cat-ears idea and I didn't want them to go so suddenly, so she gets to keep them! Hurray for cats! And dogs of course. Animals in general.  
I got a real surprise when I was exploring the toolbar on my logged-in page and in 'Traffic' I had 41 hits! So please, please review, just six little words-" I read it. It was _______" would be awesome, as my poor inbox hasn't got much in a while. But thankyou soo much to the lovely people who have reviewed, an from now on I will mention your names in my profile and at the start of a chapter, and you shall have your own place in FF history!!**

**Thanks again,**

**The Blue Dog**


	6. 5 Cat and Mouse

_**Chapter 5; Cat and Mouse**_

**Hi! **

**Sorry for the long wait!**

**Yes, I know that Yuki is a rat, but 'cat and mouse' sounds better. Also, in this chapter I'm going to use some ****Japanese****, and it's going to be underlined for identification. **

**The Blue Dog**

I stared at them in confusion, my mouth open in shock and disbelief. We stood like that for a minute, me catching flies, the boys staring angrily off into space and the girl looking like she'd broken out in sweat (so much tension!), until the redheaded boy, Kyo Sohma, yelled at me, in perfect English,  
"**Are you just going to stand there or are we going to get to class?**" and I jumped, closing my mouth and quickly ushering them into class, my face pink. The girl, Tohru Honda, bowed at me as she walked in the door, followed by the angry Kyo and the strangely unruffled Yuki Sohma. _Are they brothers? _I wondered. Tohru bowed again as she stepped into the classroom as the boys arranged themselves instinctively around as if to protect her at all costs, sadly preventing me to get through the door. I hovered behind them, trying to find a polite way to push through and return to my seat without attracting attention to myself.

McGonagall looked up from her desk, where she was marking some recent sixth-year tests.  
"Yes?" she inquired, as if new students turned up every day straight off the plane from, most likely, Japan. I mean, I was an oddity myself, but three others, especially three good-looking ones... I dread what the other girls, and guys, would think.  
The girl, Tohru, introduced herself and her companions to the professor and the class as a whole, and as I squeezed passed McGonagall explained that we were Transfiguring birds into cats, but, as they were fourth-year beginners, they could start with turning rats into cats. I noticed that both Kyo and Yuki jumped at the mention of the animals they were Transfiguring. McGonagall also explained to the class that they _were_ from Japan and that we should make them welcome.  
She finished explaining by pointing out that there were three spare seats "over by Miss Ying there," and they walked over to me as I blushed furiously again, looking away_. They would think I was so rude... in Japan they bow whenever someone speaks to them, perhaps I should try that..._ In my haste to get up I knocked myself and the chair onto the floor, inciting the parrot I was trying to Transfigure in to loud raucous squawks.  
I stood up, muttering '_Silencio_' at the bird with a spell Ginger had taught me earlier. Thankfully this charm worked and the bird fell silent, vainly trying to emit a loud screech. As I turned around, about to pick up my chair and sit down, a quiet voice behind me said,  
"Allow me," causing me to squeak in alarm before covering my mouth in shame and humiliation. I muttered a quiet, "Thankyou" at Yuki, took the chair off him and sat down at opposite ends of the table to the trio, which wasn't a good idea in hindsight as every time I looked up I saw Tohru staring at me in concern.

I managed to turn my bird into a passable feline after a few goes, whereas Kyo had started swearing silently at his rat in Japanese, Yuki was struggling to get it off him for some reason, and Tohru was staring at her passive rat worriedly, biting her lip. As I went up to Professor McGonagall for my next assignment, Tohru let go of her lip and touched my sleeve timidly.  
"Excuse me, Ying-san?" I stopped and turned around as she continued quietly, "Can you please, er, help... me? I cannot..." She gestured at her unchanged rat, and I nodded my understanding. _Finally! Something I'm good at! I can speak her language!_  
"It's Miranda. You want me to help you turn your rat into a cat?" I asked in Japanese, and she nodded vehemently, her shock at my good Japanese (if I do say so myself) showing in her face as she asked,  
"You speak Japanese?" I nodded.  
"My dad's Japanese, and I learnt it at my old school as well. Here, you say; 'Transify' and swish your wand, like this" I demonstrated, swishing my wand in a figure of eight and pointing it at the silently screeching parrot.  
Nothing happened.  
I tried again, with a little more emphasis, and with a neat _poof!_ The parrot changed into a perfect tabby cat. Tohru looked like her eyes were about to pop out of her head (to use a cliché) and roll around the dusty classroom floor. Even I was impressed with myself, just a little.

Apparently McGonagall was glancing our way, because she suddenly announced,  
"Five points to Ravenclaw for that excellent Transfiguration, Miss Ying!", adding a medium-sized cherry to the top of the mouth-watering, proverbial iced-cake I was devouring just now. (Too many adjectives, I know, I know.) I couldn't stop myself from grinning as I whispered to Tohru,  
"Don't worry- that doesn't usually happen!", as she relaxed slightly, though I noticed she looked worn out. "Now you try."

For the next half an hour Tohru practised turning a rat into a cat, and just as the bell rang she finally succeeded, gaining ten points from McGonagall for Gryffindor, along with Kyo's five and Yuki's fifteen, as he transfigured his in the first ten minutes.

As we were packing up and going to the Great Hall for lunch, Professor McGonagall hurried into the corridor, calling out,  
"Miss Ying! Miranda!", and I spun around. She stopped to catch her breath, while I stared at her, wide-eyed. After she composed herself, she asked, "Can I see you in my office for a moment?"

**A.N;**

**Hi again!**

**I really need some feedback on whether I should continue with the classes, just skip to the end or go fifty-fifty?**

**Thanks,  
The Blue Dog**


	7. 6 Ambassadors and Exchange

_**Chapter 6- Ambassadors and Exchange**_

I nodded, bewildered, as she led me through quite a few corridors and into a largish office full of filing cabinets and papers arranged in neat piles on a huge desk. McGonagall motioned me to sit as she took a seat behind the desk and started to speak.

"Miranda, I assume you know the origins of our new students, do you not?" I managed a nod as she continued, "And you know their language difficulties?" I nodded again, remembering the events of the morning.  
"So Miranda, as you can speak fluent Japanese, I am asking, and Headmaster Dumbledore also, for you to take these three under your wing, until they can fend for themselves. Hogwarts is a large school, and we have certain protocols that we follow that will be new and confusing to these beginning students-" I jumped almost out of my chair. This was not good. I should have seen this coming.  
"With all due respect, professor, I'm only just beginning myself. Shouldn't you ask someone else to look after them?" I interrupted, alarmed at the sudden turn of things, but McGonagall interrupted my interruption, saying,  
"But that is exactly why you are the only one who can understand! Miss Ying," reverting back to my surname, "these three, they are literally just off the Muggle plane! They arrived last night! They almost got lost coming inside from the grounds, and you think you're new?"

She composed herself, brushing a hair back from her immaculate hair do, a bun as always, and continued, "All we're asking is that you give them directions, perhaps explain a few things and help them with the homework. After all, don't you know what it's like to be them? Hogwarts has a reputation to uphold, and the Ministryand these are junior Japanese ambassadors! Give it a chance, Miranda!"

I couldn't answer that, so I accepted. It wasn't like I could refuse.

**Author's Note;**

**Hi!  
Personally I think McGonagall's rather stressed, what with all these new students running around.  
Oh, and by the way, do you think she's in character?**

**Thanks,  
The Blue Dog**


	8. 8 Dreams and Reality

**Chapter 7; Dreams and Reality**

"Aieeeee!"

Miranda sat up in bed, jolted into action by the terrified scream coming from Tohru's bed as she twisted and turned in what Miranda imagined was a terrifying nightmare. Rubbing her eyes, she fell out of bed and grabbed a glass of water, which she had left on her bedside table the previous night, and threw it over Tohru.  
Jolted out of her dream, Tohru coughed, gasping as she choked on water and Miranda pounding her back, wheezing out a string of gabbled Japanese which Miranda could barely understand.

"What happened?" asked the sleepy and worried Ginger, yawning. "It's three in the morning."

Miranda jumped as she had forgotten that there was anyone else in the room, peering around at ten or so drowsy girls staring at her.  
"Oh, ah… A dream," she muttered, suddenly contracting a serious case of nerves. Ginger silently padded over and enclosed them both in a giant hug as Tohru silently broke into tears again.

***The Next Morning***

Sitting in the Great Hall, Miranda picked at her toast, not feeling at all hungry. Last night Tohru had told her what her nightmare was about, and it wasn't good. She has said something about Kyo seeing her mother die in a car crash and both of them had slept badly since, the squeal of tires haunting their dreams. _In fact_, she thought, _I should really-_

"Ying-san, is everything all right? How are you?" She almost jumped a foot in the air as Yuki, who had spoken (in perfect English), and Kyo sat down, both opposite her, but Kyo as far away from him as possible while still able to hear what was being said.

"Oh, ah… yes Sohma-san, I'm fine." She stuttered, blushing. _What is wrong with me? _She wondered, _I can't even answer a simple question from him without embarrassing myself._

He nodded, tucking into a bowl of ramen that appeared in front of him. "And how is Tohru? I haven't seen her yet today."

"Um… she's fine too." She hesitated, knowing that Tohru had forbidden her to tell Yuki and Kyo of her dream but wanting to ask Kyo about what he had seen.

Hearing a noise behind her, she turned around and said, "Speaking of Tohru…" as Tohru herself came through the doors and sat down between Yuki and Kyo, exclaiming, "Hello, Ying-san, Sohma-san, Kyo-kun! How are you all on this nice morning?"

"Good, thanks, Tohru-san," we all replied in unison as she sat down and helped herself to some just-materialized rice balls.

"You know, we should probably start speaking more in English, so as not to offend our hosts in this school," Yuki remarked, looking absently at an apple he was holding and giving it a rub.

"You are… right," said Tohru slowly in English, "but," she reverted back to Japanese, "you know my English is bad, Sohma-san, so I'm afraid of making a fool of myself!" Kyo moved his head sullenly in a way that neither approved or disapproved of what Tohru was saying, as Miranda exclaimed, "But I could teach you!", beaming as if she had just had a wonderful idea, which she had, except she had said it in English, so Tohru didn't understand.

Tohru blinked, then asked,

"Excuse me, ah, Ying-san? What did you just say?"Miranda, realizing her mistake, smacked herself on the forehead and explained,

" I said I could teach you some English so you could understand our classes." Tohru beamed herself, jumping up and hugging Miranda over the table, exclaiming,

"But that would be wonderful, Ying-san! I'd be really grateful if you would help me to understand what everyone was saying," Miranda blushed, muttering that it was nothing, but just then the bell went and they had to hurry to Charms.

"Welcome back everyone, and welcome to our four new students," Professor Flitwick beamed at the back row, where Kyo, Tohru, Yuki and Miranda sat, embarrassed by the attention shifting onto them when they all preferred not to be seen. "Now, today we shall be starting on a new topic, Summoning Charms, so can you all fetch a cushion from the cupboard and start summoning please, using the word _Accio_. New students, try to follow what the others are doing, and tell me if you have any questions.' He wobbled slightly on his pile of books before returning to his high chair behind his desk, leaving the students to practice.

Miranda got up and started to fetch four cushions, but Yuki got there first and smoothly passed her a cushion, then handing Tohru a cushion before expertly tossing a cushion at Kyo's head.

She sat back down, feeling her cheeks heat up. She glanced over to where the others were sitting, Kyo angrily yelling at his cushion to 'get over here, damn thing!',Tohru trying again and again, biting her lip, as Yuki, cushion in hand, was staring straight at her. She gulped and hurriedly summoned her cushion as the bell rang and it was lunchtime.

**A/N: I'm soooo sorry this update is so late, but homework+ HUGE writer's block+ failing internet+ having to share a computer with a hogging brother= bad rate of updating, so again, I'm soooo sorry! And I promise, the action starts next chapter!**

**Anyway, thanks to all the reviews I've been getting, especially those who have read this fanfic from the start, but also to the, perhaps, new readers like Konekoko (big shout out to you there ****), who I can't thank by replying because she doesn't have an account/ didn't log in, but I'm so glad it didn't stop her from reviewing my modest little tale I'm writing here.**

**So thank you to everyone reading this! Also, I think I might write the next chapter in Miranda's POV, but I'll let you know.**

**The Blue Dog**


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